The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is facing significant obstacles in determining the cause of death for Celeste Rivas, whose dismembered and partially frozen remains were discovered in the trunk of singer D4vd’s Tesla earlier this year, according to sources with direct knowledge of the investigation.
The grim discovery has shocked the entertainment community and launched a complex homicide investigation that spans multiple California counties and several months.
Condition of Remains Hampers Investigation
Sources close to the investigation revealed to this reporter that the medical examiner received Rivas’s body in what they described as “horrendous condition.” The remains were decapitated, with the torso remaining intact but all limbs removed and severed into multiple pieces. Critically, all body parts were partially frozen and had apparently begun thawing while stored in the vehicle’s trunk.
This frozen state of the remains is now proving to be a crucial impediment to the autopsy process. Medical examiners typically rely on tissue examination, toxicology reports, and physical evidence to determine how a person died, but the freezing and subsequent thawing process can destroy vital cellular structures and mask trauma patterns.
“It will most likely be ‘undetermined,'” one source indicated regarding the eventual classification of the cause of death.
The condition was so severe that investigators initially could not determine the victim’s gender when the body was first examined.
Timeline and Discovery
The remains were discovered after D4vd’s Tesla, which had been parked on a Hollywood Hills street near his rental home for several days without being moved, was towed by authorities. The vehicle’s prolonged stationary position on the residential street triggered the towing action that ultimately led to the macabre discovery.
While the Medical Examiner’s Office initially classified this as an “apparent homicide,” sources indicate the office is now struggling to make an official determination of both manner and cause of death.
LAPD Treats Case as Homicide Despite Medical Challenges
Despite the medical examiner’s difficulties, sources within the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division confirm they are treating Rivas’s death as a homicide. Importantly, legal experts note that authorities can proceed with arrests even if the official cause of death remains undetermined, provided they have sufficient evidence of foul play.
D4vd Named as Suspect; Second Individual Implicated
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter, whose real name has not been publicly disclosed in this report, is now officially considered a suspect in Rivas’s death. More troubling still, investigators believe a second suspect assisted in the dismemberment of the victim’s body.
High-profile criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos, appearing on the recent “2 Angry Men” podcast, stated he knows the identity of this second suspect. According to Geragos, authorities have informed him this individual may have been involved “before, during, and after” Rivas’s death—suggesting potential involvement not just in the aftermath but possibly in the killing itself.
Mysterious Santa Barbara Trip Central to Investigation
A critical element of the investigation centers on a trip D4vd allegedly made to a remote area of Santa Barbara County during the spring—months before the body’s discovery in late summer. Investigators say he spent approximately two hours in this isolated location in the middle of the night.
If Rivas’s remains were transported to this remote Santa Barbara County location months prior to being found in Los Angeles, investigators are working under the theory that the body parts were stored in a freezer for an extended period before ultimately ending up in the Tesla.
This timeline would explain the partially frozen state of the remains and suggests a level of premeditation and concealment that could prove significant in any eventual prosecution.
Legal Implications Moving Forward
While the medical examiner’s inability to definitively establish cause of death presents challenges, it does not necessarily preclude prosecution. Legal precedent allows for homicide charges when circumstances strongly indicate foul play, even absent a definitive medical determination.
The dismemberment alone, combined with the alleged concealment timeline and the involvement of multiple suspects, provides prosecutors with substantial evidence of criminal conduct.
As this investigation continues to unfold, the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division is reportedly pursuing multiple leads and building what they believe is a compelling case against both suspects.
The case has sent shockwaves through the music industry, where D4vd had been gaining recognition for his distinctive sound and online presence. As of now, neither suspect has been formally charged, and the investigation remains ongoing.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The LA County Medical Examiner likely cannot determine how Celeste Rivas died because her dismembered body was frozen, destroying crucial forensic evidence. Despite this, LAPD is treating it as a homicide and can still make arrests.
Critical Facts:
- Rivas’s decapitated, dismembered remains were found partially frozen in singer D4vd’s Tesla trunk
- D4vd is a suspect, along with a second unidentified person who allegedly helped dismember the body
- Investigators believe the body was stored in a freezer for months after D4vd’s suspicious nighttime trip to remote Santa Barbara County in spring
- The body was discovered in late summer only after his car was towed from a Hollywood Hills street
Even without an official cause of death, authorities have enough evidence of foul play—dismemberment, freezing, concealment—to pursue homicide charges against both suspects.
